South Africa’s Minister of Tourism, Patricia de Lille, has concluded a high-level working visit to Luanda, Angola, reinforcing South Africa’s commitment to deepening bilateral relations, advancing tourism investment and positioning South Africa as a destination of choice within the Angolan market.
The visit was anchored on the theme: “Growing the Travel Economy between South Africa and Angola.” It forms part of South Africa’s broader strategy to unlock growth in key African markets while strengthening regional collaboration to drive inclusive economic growth through tourism.
A breakthrough achieved during the visit was the agreement to remove capacity and frequency restrictions on passenger and cargo flights between South Africa and Angola, effective 24 March 2026.
This development is expected to:
• Increase travel demand and accessibility
• Boost trade and tourism flows
• Strengthen business and investment linkages
• Support job creation across the tourism value chain
“Every additional flight between our countries is an opportunity for business, for tourism, and for deeper people-to-people connections,” Minister de Lille noted:
During the visit, Minister de Lille held bilateral engagements with Angola’s Minister of Tourism, Márcio de Jesus Lopes Daniel, focusing on expanding cooperation across tourism, trade, and investment. A key outcome of the visit was the signing of a three-year Action Plan on Tourism Cooperation, designed to unlock immediate and long-term opportunities across both markets.
The Action Plan prioritises:
• Tourism Investment
Promoting bankable tourism opportunities, facilitating investor partnerships, and supporting infrastructure development. South Africa showcased its Tourism Investment Guidelines and pipeline of projects aimed at attracting strategic investors.
• Joint Destination Marketing
Coordinated campaigns to position South Africa and the Southern African region as compelling, accessible, and high-value destinations, while increasing awareness of improved air connectivity.
• Skills and Capacity Development
Strengthening collaboration on tourism skills, enterprise development, and MSME support to drive inclusive participation in the tourism economy.
“Tourism is not only about travel, but also about investment, jobs, and opportunity. Through this partnership, we are unlocking new pathways for shared prosperity between South Africa and Angola,” Minister de Lille emphasised:
The visit also served as a strategic platform to promote Destination South Africa within the Angolan market, reinforcing the country’s appeal as a diverse, accessible and value-driven destination. Angola which is the second biggest economy in SADC,remains a key source market, with strong growth recording 41,718 Angolan visitors in 2025 (up 10% year-on-year).
This underscores the importance of sustained engagement, targeted marketing, and improved travel access between the two countries. This message was carried through, during Minister de Lille’s engagement with the Tourism sector in Angola.South Africa has also committed, as part of the joint marketing efforts, to promote Angolan tourism offerings to South Africans and increase travel to the country.
As part of the programme, Minister de Lille also attended the launch of the Luanda E1 Grand Prix, underscoring the critical role that major international events play in advancing tourism growth across the African continent.
The visit highlighted how global sporting and lifestyle events serve as powerful platforms to:
• Drive international visibility and destination awareness
• Attract high-value travellers and investors
• Stimulate local economies and job creation
• Strengthen Africa’s positioning as a competitive global events destination
“Major events such as the E1 Grand Prix demonstrate the immense potential of Africa’s tourism sector. They bring global attention to our destinations, unlock investment opportunities, and create shared economic value across borders, as witnessed during LIV Golf South Africa,” she added.
As South Africa continues to strengthen its presence in key African markets, partnerships such as this will be critical in delivering sustainable, inclusive tourism growth for the continent.
